High blood cholesterol and triglycerides

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Cholesterol producers

Coronary artery disease

Lipid disorders; Hyperlipoproteinemia; Hyperlipidemia; Dyslipidemia; Hypercholesterolemia

There are no symptoms.

A fasting lipid test (lipoprotein test) breaks down cholesterol into four groups:

• Total cholesterol (normal: 100-199 mg/dL)
• LDL (normal: less than 100 mg/dL)
• HDL (normal: 40-59 mg/dL)
• Triglycerides (normal: less than 150 mg/dL)

(Note: mg/dL is milligrams per deciliter).

In general, a total cholesterol value over 200 mg/dL may indicate a greater risk for heart disease. However, LDL levels are a better predictor of heart disease, and they determine how your high cholesterol should be treated.

How you are treated also depends on whether you have any of these additional risk factors for heart disease:

• Diabetes
• Poorly controlled high blood pressure
• Currently smoke
• Being male and over age 45 or female and over age 55
• Having a first-degree female relative diagnosed with heart disease before age 65, or a first-degree male relative diagnosed before age 55.
• Metabolic syndrome (high triglycerides, low HDL, and obesity)

Discuss your results with your health care provider to determine the best therapy for your lifestyle.

Other tests to help determine your risk for heart disease are:

• Lipoprotein(a) analysis
• C-reactive protein analysis

Laboratory tests may be performed to identify other causes of lipid disorders if a lipoprotein test is elevated.

Review Date: 10/24/2006
Reviewed By: Daniel R Alexander, MD, Department of Internal Medicine, St. Mary's Hospital, Leonardtown, MD. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.